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The Heroine’s Journey of Suzanne Baily

Posted by peterdekuster on

What is the best thing that I love about my work? I’m very lucky that I am a company director of a small but successful digital media agency, and have been for almost 26 years now. There are four of us in the company, and one of my co directors is my husband and best friend.  Because of the nature of our business, we all work from home. My work is very varied, one day I could be invoicing/doing the accounts, the next I could be on a shoot, and then editing the footage we’ve shot.

What is my idea of happiness? My idea of happiness is being creative, my husband and I have made a series of no budget labour of love documentaries about great women film editors Called Invisible Women. We’ve met some incredible people in the film industry, four of them being Oscar winners. I love good food, and was lucky enough to have a two star Michelin chef as a client for many years. My husband and I are real foodies, and we especially love traveling to  Italy. And my three favourite cities are Paris Rome and Barcelona.

What is my greatest fear? Dying too young, or loosing my husband.

What is the trait that I most deplore in myself? I have imposter syndrome! Making and editing our Invisible Women films was really scary for me. Showing my editing work to amazingly talented people like Peter Bogdanovich, John Madden, Steve Rotter, Tom Fleischman, Vic Boydell and Emma Hickox and Mick Audsley made me incredibly nervous. But they all said wonderful things about the films, and still I sometimes don’t believe I’m actually good at what I do!

Which living persons in my profession do i most admire? Film editors, Steve Rotter, Mick Audsley, Paul Rogers, Vic Boydell and Emma Hickox.

What is my greatest extravagance? Caviar and champagne, now and then, especially as I haven’t really traveled since the pandemic, otherwise it would be that.

On what occasion would I lie? To protect someone I care about.

What is the thing that I dislike the most in my work? Over the years we have had one or two clients, that were not very nice and didn’t want to pay the agreed fee, which we then had to fight for. 

When and where was I the happiest, in my work? Filming at Le Gavroche, and getting to eat there often. Also interviewing and filming a live show with our hero novelist and screenplay writer William Boyd.

If I could, what would I change about myself? I would have more faith in myself, and believe I am good at what I do.

What is my greatest achievement in work? Getting some of my Le Gavroche footage on BBC World News, and a channel 4 program about 5 star hotels and they used all the footage and credited my company Fireworks Studios Ltd.

Where would I most like to live? Where I do live.

What is my most treasured possession? A great letter of recommendation from William Boyd.

What is my most marked characteristic? My husband says my sunny disposition.

What is my most inspirational location, in my city? There isn’t one!

What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city? Unfortunately there no longer is one. So it would have to be at home, as my husband and I love to cook.

What books influenced my life and how?  None really. But the books I most enjoy reading are all Will Boyds 17 novels.

You Only Die Once. What music would I listen on my last day? Puccini.

Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?  Amory Clay from William Boyd’s novel Sweet Caress.

Who are my heroes and heroines in real life? Billy Wilder, Peter Bogdanovich and William Boyd. Dede Allen, Anne Coates & Verna Field

Which movie would i recommend to see once in a lifetime? The Best Years Of Our Lives. But I am an avid film lover and we have over 4000 films. We watch them over and over again.

What role play stories in my life and work? I write stories as I am an unpublished writer, and I tell stories through the documentaries I make.

What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ to me? This question doesn’t make sense to me.

Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime? My best friend, who is my husband and my business partner.

What project am I looking forward to work on? I have made 7 documentaries in my Invisible Women series, which are hopefully going to be used as a teaching aids for film editing in film schools. Then making one 2 hour documentary from all 7 films and try to get onto BBC4, Sky Arts or TCM. 

Where can you see me or my work?

What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me? I will always be passionate about film making and editing. So I hope to be able to continue as long as I live.

.How can you contact me? suz@laughingdog.co.uk

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